Al-Noor Primary School

Primary School

DfES Registration Number 317/6076 Unique Reference Number 134244 Inspection number 301489 Inspection dates 3-4 July 2007 Reporting inspector Ian Hartland HMI

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Primary School

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002 (as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005). Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Primary School

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

Al-Noor is an independent primary school which provides full-time Muslim, faith- based education to boys and girls aged from four to ten years of age. The school opened in 2002 and was registered in 2003. It has expanded over the years and is housed in a former factory building in a residential area of east London. There are 150 children on roll. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational need, although a few pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities. The school aims ‘to promote moral and academic excellence, in a caring and secure Islamic environment, providing opportunities for the fullest realisation of our children’s potential.’

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Evaluation of the school

Al-Noor provides its pupils with a good education and caters effectively for their needs. The quality of the curriculum and of teaching is good. As a result, the pupils become confident and articulate learners who are enabled by their teachers to make good progress. They achieve above average results in the national tests taken in Year 2. The provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and is reflected in their good behaviour and politeness to visitors. The children are happy at the school. They know each other well and the staff know them well. The school evaluates its provision accurately and both parents and pupils are happy with the school and what it offers. The school meets almost all of the regulations.

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Quality of education

The quality of curriculum planning and documentation is good. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum with a deliberate emphasis on literacy and numeracy to provide a secure foundation for other subjects. In the reception class, the school follows the Foundation Stage guidelines. The school teaches all the subjects of the National Curriculum, except for music, to pupils aged five years and over, with the addition of the Qur’an, Islamic Studies and Arabic and religious education in Year 5. There is an appropriate allocation of time for the different subject areas. Speaking and listening and reading skills are promoted effectively, although there are missed opportunities to develop writing in different subjects. Some topics such as healthy eating form part of the science programme. In Key Stages 1 and 2 there is a clearly defined structure to ensure the continuity and progression in what pupils are to study. Pupils’ class work is supported by

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Quality of education

regular homework. Resources to support the curriculum are good overall. The school will receive its first group of Year 6 pupils next academic year. Whilst the long-term schemes of work inform teachers how to plan their lessons, they are not always made full use of in all subject areas. Unexpected disruptions to staffing have limited the senior management’s capacity to monitor the quality of teachers’ planning. However, the school has recruited an assistant headteacher to strengthen this aspect of the school’s work. The school has appropriate procedures in place to assess the needs of pupils with special educational needs. There is also a suitable framework in place to support the needs of pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The curriculum is enhanced by the personal, social and health education programme and the introduction of circle time, influenced by the Islamic

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Quality of education

ethos which successfully permeates the whole life of the school. The curriculum is further enriched by a variety of extra-curricular activities, educational visits and links with other schools, for example, for competitive sporting events.

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Quality of education

The quality of teaching is good overall, although a minority of teaching is only satisfactory. Teaching is improving because of the school’s commitment to the continuous professional development of teachers. The best teaching was briskly paced and based on detailed planning that closely matched work to pupils’ needs. In the better lessons, the teachers successfully establish good relationships with the pupils and a purposeful and respectful atmosphere, where the pupils feel comfortable in expressing their views. In these lessons, the teachers manage the pupils effectively. Consequently, most pupils concentrate well, respond positively to instructions, have a good attitude to learning and are eager to answer questions. Where the teaching was satisfactory rather than good, the planning is not securely based on schemes of work and the expected outcomes are not clear. As a result, the lessons lack a sure sense of direction. Pupils are sometimes given too long to

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Quality of education

complete tasks and as a consequence some are too easily distracted.

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Quality of education

Assessment is satisfactory. Marking is regular but does not always show pupils how to improve. In mathematics, pupils use learning targets to help them move forward to the next step. However, this practice is not in place across the school in all subjects. As a result of the good teaching, pupils make good progress in the Foundation Stage and in the rest of the school. They achieved above average standards in recent national tests at the end of Year 2. The school has effective systems to track each pupil’s progress. The school’s own tracking information indicates that pupils in the junior part of the school continue to make good progress, but as there has been no Year 6 class, there are no test results for this year group. The school provides well for the pupils with specific learning difficulties, having identified their needs and put plans in place to meet them.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school is particularly successful in nurturing pupils’ spiritual growth. The emphasis placed on the spiritual and moral aspects of their education, which is taught not only in Islamic and Quranic studies but across the curriculum, leads to pupils’ growing understanding of right and wrong and how a good Muslim should live. As a result, pupils are friendly and polite and speak to visitors with confidence. They behave well in lessons and their behaviour is good overall. Teachers are good role models and lead by example. Notices and displays are put up in classrooms and around the school to remind pupils of their accountability to God and to impress upon them the virtue of bringing benefit to others.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

The school is a friendly community in which pupils are encouraged to take responsibility. Pupils learn about British institutions across the curriculum and their understanding of the law, the health service and political systems is enhanced by visits from relevant professionals. Pupils are involved in the recently formed local scout groups and benefit from the variety of activities arranged by the school. The school offers good quality provision for preparing pupils to live in a multi-cultural society. The pupils have opportunities for discussions with people from other faiths in ways that promotes respect, tolerance and harmony. The school nasheed (Islamic poetry) choir has performed at a number of community events. Pupils’ cultural experience is enriched by visits to a range of sites of educational interest, such as museums and zoos. They are adequately prepared for their future economic well- being in developing their basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

communication technology (ICT) as well as in team working and problem solving.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The school’s provision for the pupil’s welfare health and safety is good. Their welfare and general well-being is given a high priority. The school has a series of detailed policy documents which meet requirements. The behaviour policy is appropriate and includes a suitable system of sanctions to deal with incidents of inappropriate behaviour. There have been incidents, which have led to sanctions and short-term exclusion. Pupils report that there is a little bullying but that staff deal with it swiftly and effectively.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

There is appropriate provision for First Aid, with staff qualified to administer it. The First Aid boxes are suitably stocked and accidents are carefully recorded. The child protection policy meets requirements. The school has made the necessary provision for fire safety. The fire drill book is up-to-date and equipment is regularly checked. The health and safety policy is appropriate and includes risk assessments. The school correctly maintains an admissions register but the attendance registers are not kept fully in accordance with requirements. A safe, healthy and nurturing environment has been created for the pupils. Opportunities for physical exercise are limited on the school site, but the school makes full use of its playground and of a local park very close to the school for exercise. The school is aware that a minority of pupils sometimes feel unsafe in the playground area when some pupils run around in a small space. The pupils

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

understand what constitutes healthy living and this is supported by the school’s provision of fruit at break times, and rules about healthy snacks. The size of the school ensures that the staff know the pupils well and can supervise them effectively at all times.

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Suitability of the proprietor and staff

The school has appropriate recruitment procedures and undertakes the full range of checks to ensure the suitability of all staff to work with children and young people.

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School’s premises and accommodation

The former factory building has been suitably converted for the purposes of a school. New windows have been installed and there are classrooms on all floors of three story building. Although some classrooms are small they are adequate for the number of pupils in each class. There are specialist facilities for ICT and two large indoor spaces, one of which is regularly used for prayer and the other for pupils to eat their packed lunches. Both spaces are also used well for teaching purposes. The standard of maintenance and decoration is satisfactory. There is a small playground at the rear of the school which can be used in all weathers and has a canopy. The school does not have suitable facilities for pupils who are unwell.

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

The school provides much useful and accurate information for parents and others through its prospectus, annual report and newsletters. A range of school policies are available on request. Parents receive informative termly reports on their child’s progress in different curriculum subjects. The vast majority of parents report that they are happy with the quality of the information they receive and with the progress that their children make.

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Procedures for handling complaints

The school has a detailed written complaints policy which sets out the procedures it will follow in the management of any complaint. It contains almost all the information on the specific elements required by the regulations.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended January 2005, with the exception of those listed below.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety (standard 3) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure the attendance registers are maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (paragraph 3(9)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the premises and accommodation (standard 5) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide appropriate facilities for pupils who are ill, in accordance with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (paragraph 5(l)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of procedures for handling complaints (standard 7) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure the procedure provides for one person on the panel who is independent of the management and running of the school (paragraph 7(g)).

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by the regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development:

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What the school could do to improve further

 ensure more regular monitoring of planning, teaching and marking.

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School details

Name of school Al-Noor Primary School DfES number 317/6076 Unique reference number 134244 Type of school Muslim Day School Status Independent Date school opened 2002 Age range of pupils 4-10 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 81 Girls: 69 Total: 150 Annual fees (day pupils) £2550 -£2750 Address of school 619 - 625 Green Lane Goodmayes Ilford Essex IG3 9RP Telephone number 020 8597 7576 Fax number 020 8597 9511 Email address enquiries@al-noor.co.uk Headteacher Mrs Someera Butt Proprietor Daud Juneja Reporting inspector Ian Hartland HMI Dates of inspection 3-4 July 2007

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